Broadcasting
HiTV Loses Over N5Bn to Piracy, Triggers Bounty Hunt
HiTV has said it lost over N5 billion to piracy in the last one year, a situation which calls for concern among stakeholders in the broadcast industry.
This development has prompted the pay-TV company to take up “arms” and slug it out with pirates, culminating in the arrest of some 12 suspected broadcast pirates, among which were managers of top class hotels and proprietors of viewing centres and cafes, with the assistance of officials of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and men of the Nigerian Police Force.
According to Martins Akingba, head of Sales, “HiTV has lost over N5 billion in the last one year or so and I am just been conservative with the figure because we have lost more than that, so this step (enforcement) is inevitable for us to survive and continue to deliver quality entertainment to our valued subscribers.”
He disclosed that as part of the strategy to ensure full compliance, HiTV also recently initiated a reward system for anybody who reports an unauthorised viewing centre or hotel. “Basically, anyone who reports an unauthorised viewing centre is rewarded with the sum of N5, 000 provided the report leads to arrest and subsequent prosecution of the defaulter. By ‘unauthorised viewing centre,’ we mean any viewing centre which has not paid the commercial bouquet subscription fee of N15, 000. The informant who will be kept confidential will have to give the name and address of the defaulting viewing centre. As soon as the information is confirmed, arrest will be made and the informant will get his N5, 000 rewards immediately.”
Emeka Ogbonna, zonal manager, NCC, at the briefing after the raids in Lagos, reiterated the Commission’s resolve to track down and prosecute pirates “as the agency statutorily charged with the responsibility of protecting the rights of creative persons and investors in the creativity industry, and we will continue to relentlessly carry out our mandate to the best of our ability.”
The NCC official noted that the digital broadcasting industry has been facing virulent attacks in the last few months through the activities of some criminal minded persons. “We know that in order to watch certain stations, there is need to acquire a decoder and subscribe to the stations. It is also a fact that when you acquire a decoder, you must apply it for the purpose for which you paid. Accordingly, when you pay for a home use, you cannot apply the decoder for a business purpose.”
“These unconscionable persons have perfected acts of using decoders they acquired for home use to operate viewing centres and in hotels and bars all over the country. Some of them have gone a step further to illegally acquire electronic contraptions that enable them watch more than a station at a time even when they paid for only one. We have proof that satellite stations, in particular HiTV, did not place an outright proscription on the broadcast of their matches at viewing centres, all they asked the operators to do was to pay a higher fee so as to be licensed to broadcast the matches. These people have refused to do so and they have continued to pirate the signals of this company with reckless abandon. They were warned several times but rather than stop their illegal activities, some of them resorted to assaulting the rights owners’ representatives,” he stated.
HiTV had in July introduced a commercial bouquet for hotels, viewing centres, cafes and club houses, and embarked on a prolonged enlightenment campaign to make the affected class of people see reasons and pay the monthly subscription of N20, 000 which was later reviewed downward to N15, 000.
The company has consistently defended its position on the introduction of commercial bouquets. Olumide Amure, chief operating officer, HiTV had revealed that the company was going ahead with the imposition of the levy of N15, 000 on all operators of viewing centres across the country, and had given reasons why it became necessary to communicate the addition of this new bouquet to HiTV subscribers so that they can make better informed choices in their subscription plans.
He said though the pay TV business is primarily for private viewership, the company has made provisions for customers who desire to use it for strictly commercial purposes or who intend to bundle it with their own services to the public. It was stated that each compliant commercial subscriber will receive an authorized viewing centre signage and will be supported by a dedicated help desk.
Akingba added that the conditions for sale of HITV service is that “it is meant for use by a single domestic household or for private residential unit. Redistribution of any type of the signal from the decoder is deemed illegal. Subscribers are not permitted to exhibit or use the subscription service in public whether or not admission fees are charged. We are however aware that the entry of HiTV created job opportunities for thousands of Nigerians who inadvertently converted a private service into a commercial venture. In order to legitimize these otherwise illegal businesses pirating our content, HiTV is affording them the opportunity to regularize their businesses with the introduction of the commercial bouquet and they should embrace or face prosecution as the 12 arrested will definitely face.”
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce a joint broadcast monitoring framework ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to curb unethical broadcasting and promote responsible election coverage.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed the plan recently, said the collaboration would strengthen election monitoring through the deployment of advanced technology and closer coordination between regulatory agencies.
According to him, the increasing influence of digital and online platforms has made it imperative for regulators to work together rather than operate independently.
“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections. Gone are the days when agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” Ebuebu said.
He explained that the partnership would enable both agencies to jointly identify and address violations of broadcasting regulations during the election period instead of handling such issues separately.
Beyond INEC, Ebuebu said the NBC is also partnering with other key regulators to strengthen oversight of election-related content across digital platforms.
According to him, the commission is finalising agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) ahead of the polls to reinforce its monitoring capabilities.
“We are calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring. We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency before the elections,” he said.
Ebuebu also revealed that the NBC is upgrading its monitoring infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to keep pace with the rapidly expanding media landscape.
He noted that the proliferation of online platforms has made traditional monitoring methods inadequate.
“With online platforms, there are thousands of them. You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.
The NBC chief added that the commission has significantly improved its monitoring capacity and can currently track nearly 50 broadcast channels from its monitoring centre in Abuja.
He said additional monitoring facilities would be established across the country in line with evolving broadcasting technologies.As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, Ebuebu announced plans for a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan that will bring together broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the engagement had become necessary as political discussions surrounding elections continue to grow more heated, including on television, stressing the need for broadcasters to adhere to professional standards.
Ebuebu noted that the commission has had to issue several warnings to broadcast stations for violating the broadcasting code during election periods.
“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said
Mrs. Clementine Wamba, head, Digital Switch Over (DSO) at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has stressed the need for broadcasting stations and practitioners nationwide to work towards meeting the 2028 global deadline for the switch over.
She made the call in her presentation titled, “DSO Big Picture: Free TV Audience Measurement and the Evolving Media Landscape”, at the 2026 NBC South West Summit held in Ibadan.
Wamba harped on the need for practitioners to adopt DSO in the transmission of news and other programmes in order to meet future challenges, stating that any country that fail to align with the DSO by 2028 will be shut out of practice.
This development, according to her, may result in job losses and other consequences that could hinder the growth of the industry in Nigeria, noting that Free TV is tailored towards the DSO, with provision for many channels in contrast to the age-long analogue system.
According to her, “The Digital Switch Over is a technological improvement on the age-long analogue style of broadcasting in the country. With the adoption of the DSO, practitioners will be in tune with global practice of broadcast journalism.
“Also, its benefits include efficient use of spectrum, changing of industry landscape, more access to national development programmes and better viewing experience.”
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
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